Kieren Fallon finished second behind a 20-1 chance on his return to race-riding at Lingfield, and said afterwards that he had "never" doubted that he would get back into the saddle following an 18-month ban for a doping offence.

Fallon's mount Rare Malt was quickly away from stall two and soon sitting just behind the pace, but Hayley Turner, on Mr Mahoganeigh, was always travelling best and pushed into the lead approaching the final furlong.

Fallon received a round of applause as he left the weighing room before the race, and again as he was led into the runner-up's position. Speaking to the media afterwards, Fallon said that riding in a race had felt "a little bit different" from partnering horses on the gallops.

"The reception from the crowd was great and it all helps to build your confidence back up," the jockey said. "I just hope that I can ride them a winner now.

"This is the only thing I know and the only thing I want to do. I just hope I can finish the day off. My last runner is at Kempton tonight at about 10 to nine and I just hope I can survive that long.

"I just want to ride as many winners as I can and maybe have a crack at the championship next year."

Fallon added that it "did not feel as if anything had changed" in the jockeys' room. "They're all still doing their own thing," he said. "There's a few new faces in there all right that I wouldn't have ridden against before, but this is the sort of game where you're close in the weighing room but when you get on the track you're an individual."